Official 8.1/Cyan for the Icon?

[robertino23]

I think this thread might be making me more upset about the situation. Im about to cave in a just download the developer's preview. This is so maddening.

Honestly, the DP is pretty solid. I had it for a few months, but I had been experiencing some really annoying bugs, like random crashes, the "resuming" screen and poor wifi reception. I couldn't take it anymore, and said goodbye to my beautiful start screen background & folders, and kissed Cortana goodbye, promising her I'd return soon. Been about a week or two on WP8 and the icon is incredible. Still random crashing, but I might've just got a lemon phone.

I'd say give the DP a try. You'll most likely love it, but you've gotta judge the advantages vs the disadvantages and find out what works for you.

 

[quantum tao]

The newest DP is very tolerable. I hope cyan fixes the little quirks but I'm not going to count on it.

 

[airjeff]

Come on guys, we've known since sometime in August that the Cyan release wouldn't be until mid October if we are lucky. It's fine to be mad about it, I don't like it either. And yes, I would really like VZW to at least say the update is in the pipeline, but that isn't their MO. Let's not feed the trolls or spread misinformation and pretend like wait is unexpected.

For those tuning in late, or those that don't want to wade through pages of venting:
Rumor has it that Verizon signed an exclusivity agreement to get the new HTC One M8 for Windows. So VZW can't release any 8.1 update until the agreement expires. Verizon has likely had the update ready for a couple months and is sitting on it for that reason.
Obviously, Verizon doesn't want to admit to the above, so VZW and Nokia will deflect blame at each other with the standard company responses:
VZW: We're waiting on Nokia to test the update.
Nokia: We're waiting on VZW to approve the update.

We are getting close, but don't wait at the edge of your seat. If you hadn't noticed by now, Verizon doesn't tend to make updates a priority.

 

[aximtreo]

Don't know how else to say this but I bid Verizon a not so happy good bye today.

I have the ICON. Over the past few months, I have gone back and forth between 8 & 8.1 more times than I want to remember. Each time I would go to 8.1 a new set of problems would show themselves. This time, I got the Resuming... from the beginning. I soft reset a few times but to no avail. I truly got mad and refused to hard reset again and start from scratch. The last reset I did and did not reload a previous set of data and just went cold turkey. Surely this should have worked better. I didn't even load all the 8.1 programs this time.

Cut to the chase, I paid off the Verizon ETF this morning and bought the AT&T 1520 from a local seller. I pick it up on 10/7 and can't wait to activate it.
Oh, what was the reaction at a corp Verizon store when I told them what I was going to do. The guy had a horse chewing briars grin on his face. Why, he asked tongue in cheek. I said, show me a WP displayed in your store. They did not have a singe WP phone displayed. Not even the new HTC phone that they have an exclusive on. I also mentioned that the second reason was their long wait to push updates to any of their WP's.

He said as I left, you will be back. Not for a blankety blank IOS or Android phone,

Whew, that feels good to vent.

UPDATE: I'm not planning to get rid of the ICON immediately. I use it for my daily drive and for work (yes, I'm 69 and still work; I like to eat) but will give the 1520 a try and see if the larger screen is easier on my old eyes.

This update doesn't mean I'm giving Verizon a pass on this issue. It just means the I'm so tired of listening to their BS that a change is in order.

I still can't believe I went into a Verizon Corp store and their was not a single WP phone on display. They didn't even have the M8, their exclusive phone, on display.

 

[fredd]

Come on guys, we've known since sometime in August that the Cyan release wouldn't be until mid October if we are lucky. It's fine to be mad about it, I don't like it either. And yes, I would really like VZW to at least say the update is in the pipeline, but that isn't their MO. Let's not feed the trolls or spread misinformation and pretend like wait is unexpected.

For those tuning in late, or those that don't want to wade through pages of venting:
Rumor has it that Verizon signed an exclusivity agreement to get the new HTC One M8 for Windows. So VZW can't release any 8.1 update until the agreement expires. Verizon has likely had the update ready for a couple months and is sitting on it for that reason.
Obviously, Verizon doesn't want to admit to the above, so VZW and Nokia will deflect blame at each other with the standard company responses:
VZW: We're waiting on Nokia to test the update.
Nokia: We're waiting on VZW to approve the update.

We are getting close, but don't wait at the edge of your seat. If you hadn't noticed by now, Verizon doesn't tend to make updates a priority.

When is this contract going to expire I wonder.

 

[berty6294]

I always set very VERY low expectations with Verizon. Doesn't bother me the least right now that it is not out, I am very happy with DP and Cyan will just be icing on the cake. It's hard to believe that people are really pulling their hair out over this.

 

[Tjarren]

Well this thread started out awhile back with a ton of optimism for a coming release. Fast forward to the present and the possibility of any release for cyan to the icon is becoming something of a bad joke. Now that almost every other WP has received the cyan release except the icon and some have even left Verizon over the lack of the update, it boils down to only one thing. "God only knows" because no one else does. I got tired of the wait myself and got the M8 which has all the latest 8.1 goodness. So to answer your question. NO, no one knows when , if ever.

You know that is not true. At all. Only ONE US carrier has released the update and that is AT&T. Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint, US Cellular ... (am I missing anyone?) all have devices waiting and none of them have said a thing about the update. The only other thing that we have heard is from HTC about the 8X (on Verizon only for some reason) getting the update in late October.

 

[Indistinguishable]

UPDATE: I'm not planning to get rid of the ICON immediately. I use it for my daily drive and for work (yes, I'm 69 and still work; I like to eat) but will give the 1520 a try and see if the larger screen is easier on my old eyes.

This update doesn't mean I'm giving Verizon a pass on this issue. It just means the I'm so tired of listening to their BS that a change is in order.

I still can't believe I went into a Verizon Corp store and their was not a single WP phone on display. They didn't even have the M8, their exclusive phone, on display.

I'm sure you'll love the 1520. But if you were using wireless charging, I bet you'll miss that.

We'll miss seeing you around the Verizon phone subsections!

When is this contract going to expire I wonder.

One of the guys with VZW insider information said that the exclusivity deal was up in September. But we haven't seen the HTC One M8 on AT&T or T-Mobile yet. So not sure what the deal is.

 

[becho321]

Alright so I am going to Verizon this week to get a new phone and I really wanted to try out Windows phone. After researching the Icon is without a doubt the best option, but without this update I am starting to look at the M8... I really wanted the better camera and wireless charging so this is a tough decision to make.

Is this update worth getting a less superior phone for or should I stick it out with you guys and get the Icon?

 

[Mentat1231]

You know that is not true. At all. Only ONE US carrier has released the update and that is AT&T. Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint, US Cellular ... (am I missing anyone?) all have devices waiting and none of them have said a thing about the update. The only other thing that we have heard is from HTC about the 8X (on Verizon only for some reason) getting the update in late October.

T-Mobile has some phones with Windows 8.1. I guess that doesn't equate to having Lumia Cyan, but I was perfectly happy with WP8.1 on my Lumia 635 with T-Mobile. I just couldn't take the crappy network, so I went over to Verizon and got the flagship WP, thinking they would surely have 8.1 in no time... that was in early July.

 

[11B1P]

Is this update worth getting a less superior phone for or should I stick it out with you guys and get the Icon?

You can't call the M8 a less superior phone. A lot of people have the M8 and from what I've seen, the vast majority of them are really liking it. I like the looks of it, but I'm not sure I want to give up wireless charging.

 

[divideby7]

Honestly at this point I just don't want to give VZ any more money. Maybe I'm being a little too principled here but its frustrating to have them delay and and say "Ok I'll give them more money to get around an issue they aren't fixing". But that being said, if it doesnt come by the end of the month I may try and snag the HTC on eBay.

 

[Garrymp]

I have an Icon running DP 8.1 without Cyan. First I'd say that I do not have many of the complaints that others seem to be experiencing. No lockups, no hesitations, no random crashes and reboots. Just don't happen. The WIFI does leave something to be desired and that is either the hardware or some firmware update that has not yet been sorted out. I'm hearing that Nokia/Microsoft is pushing out the Cyan update to some phones and the Icon should get it soon. From what I gather, it doesn't seem that Cyan will add much to 8.1 Icon anyway so I am not even anticipating it so much at this point. Cortana works pretty well and the swype-like keyboard was the upgrade that meant the most to me and it works great.

Oh yeah, with regards to Verizon...the only thing I have for them is their coverage. Can't argue with that and it's what I'm there for. I can't agonize over the fact that they are ignorant and non-responsive. If someone else had the coverage they have in my area I would say goodbye. They do display their Windows Phone in my area but they'll also try to talk you out of them. I will allow that they are welcome to run their business model anyway they see fit. I guess it works for them. All I can do is hate them.

 

[awilliams1701]

Yes AT&T is the only carrier that has it, but seeing as how Sprint doesn't have any Nokias and AT&T and T-Mobile share many phones the statement is actually true. The Nokia 925 is on both networks. I believe only the AT&T version has Cyan, but its fair to say that the 925 in general has Cyan as a result. That makes it true that most Nokia's have it. Since the Icon is exclusive to Verizon, it doesn't have it.

You know that is not true. At all. Only ONE US carrier has released the update and that is AT&T. Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint, US Cellular ... (am I missing anyone?) all have devices waiting and none of them have said a thing about the update. The only other thing that we have heard is from HTC about the 8X (on Verizon only for some reason) getting the update in late October.

 

[MikeSo]

You know that is not true. At all. Only ONE US carrier has released the update and that is AT&T. Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint, US Cellular ... (am I missing anyone?) all have devices waiting and none of them have said a thing about the update. The only other thing that we have heard is from HTC about the 8X (on Verizon only for some reason) getting the update in late October.

Yup. One of the most popular ones, the 521, still has not received it either. AT&T is the outlier here.

The main difference, as has been pointed out a few times, is that only Cyan and 1520 (I think... maybe 1320 as well?) have hardware (BT and SensorCore) that can only be used with Cyan. That is why it's so eagerly anticipated, where the others do just fine with the Preview. Also of course because it's the only "high-end" Nokia out there, except the 1520 which has a screen that's just a little too big for many of us. It is a really great phone, which makes it worse...

 

[Indistinguishable]

Doesn't bother me the least right now that it is not out, I am very happy with DP and Cyan will just be icing on the cake. It's hard to believe that people are really pulling their hair out over this.

I have an Icon running DP 8.1 without Cyan. First I'd say that I do not have many of the complaints that others seem to be experiencing. No lockups, no hesitations, no random crashes and reboots. Just don't happen. The WIFI does leave something to be desired and that is either the hardware or some firmware update that has not yet been sorted out. I'm hearing that Nokia/Microsoft is pushing out the Cyan update to some phones and the Icon should get it soon. From what I gather, it doesn't seem that Cyan will add much to 8.1 Icon anyway so I am not even anticipating it so much at this point. Cortana works pretty well and the swype-like keyboard was the upgrade that meant the most to me and it works great.

Again, it's not about the users in this thread. It's about the Windows Phone 8 operating system and it's market share. We, as a community, are fans of a phone OS that is currently fighting for it's life. WP8 is not only up against Android & iOS - but when a carrier refuses to update the flagship Microsoft/Nokia flagship phone in the US, WP8 is up against Verizon too.

WP8/Black to WP8.1/Cyan is a major jump in performance and features. It puts Windows Phones on par, if not ahead, of Android and iOS. When Verizon doesn't release this upgrade, it fundamentally stifles the growth of an already struggling OS.

Sure, you and I can update to WP8.1 using developer preview. Most people commenting in this thread have. But what about those who are won't download the developer preview? What about those who are shopping around for a phone right now? All they see is an Icon running WP8. People like my sister, or my friends that want to run stock to cover their butts. People who are business users who can't put developer previews on their devices.

There are so many reasons that Verizon's current practices are hurting WP8. That's why we're angry.

 

[drufranco]

But what about those who are won't download the developer preview? What about those who are shopping around for a phone right now? All they see is an Icon running WP8. People like my sister, or my friends that want to run stock to cover their butts. People who are business users who can't put developer previews on their devices.

There are so many reasons that Verizon's current practices are hurting WP8. That's why we're angry.

IMO I think that even if 8.1 and Cyan was available it wouldn't matter much because most Verizon stores / salespeople could care less about Windows Phones and would take the average customer walking in and convince them into buying and Android or an Apple device. Microsoft has to get some leverage somehow with Verizon and any other carrier who talks down about their product or they will lose in the end. I know the sales people receive training on ALL phones but seems Windows Phone information for the most part goes in one ear and out the other.
I have yet to meet a Verizon rep who uses a Windows Phone.

 

[fredd]

This true, I was in the Verizon store last week and the sales person was using an Iphone I mentioned i had windows and she tuned up her nose and said; I HATE WINDOWS.

 

[airjeff]

Alright so I am going to Verizon this week to get a new phone and I really wanted to try out Windows phone. After researching the Icon is without a doubt the best option, but without this update I am starting to look at the M8... I really wanted the better camera and wireless charging so this is a tough decision to make.

Is this update worth getting a less superior phone for or should I stick it out with you guys and get the Icon?

If you like the Icon better go for it, you will get the update. Or wait a month or less(hopefully) until the update is released and then get it. The Icon will get the update, it's just a question of how soon. It's a fully usable phone as is, 8.1 + Cyan just make it that much nicer.

 

[Spirk]

I have yet to meet a Verizon rep who uses a Windows Phone.

We seem to be lucky here in Colorado Springs. The Verizon store on the north side of town has all of the phones beautifully displayed in separate sections. I was surprised to see the Apple products towards the back of the store. I went in to the store in May of '13 to buy my family new phones. I intended to buy everyone an S4 but the salesperson (girl I only remember as Jammertime) had a Windows phone of her own and showed as all the cool things she loved about it. My wife and I walked out with two 928s and an 822 for the 11yo. We loved them. I was the sole IT guy at my company and setup our IP phones to deliver voicemail through exchange. Since WP8 didn't natively support the playback of WAV files, I had to return them. Now it does and I love my Icon.